Arby’s Bronco Berry Sauce

This sweet and spicy jelly sauce comes on the side,

in little 1.5-ounce containers, with Arby’s battered

jalapeno and cheese Side Kickers. But, you know, you

ust never get enough of the tasty gelatinous goo in

those little dipping packs to use later with your own

home-cooked delicacies. And isn’t it odd that the sauce

is called “Bronco Berry” when there’s not a berry to be

found in there? Sure, the sauce is bright red and sugary,

but you won’t find a speck of fruit on the ingredients list.

Nevertheless, the sweet and spicy flavors make this a

delicious jelly sauce that has many uses beyond dipping

quick service finger foods. For one, use it as a side

for your next batch of lamb chops rather than mint jelly.

It would take more than just a few blister packs to perk

u that meal.

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

3 tablespoons pectin

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vinegar

50 drops or 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

dash cayenne pepper

dash garlic powder

dash paprika

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno peppers

1. Combine all the ingredients except the bell and minced

jalapeno peppers in a small saucepan. Whisk well.

2. Set saucepan over medium/high heat, uncovered. Add peppers

and bring mixture to a full boil, stirring often.

3. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 5 to 7 minutes, or until

thick. Remove from heat and let sauce sit for about 10 minutes.

Stir and cover.

4. Use sauce when it reaches room temperature or cover and chill

until needed.

Makes 1 cup

Applebee’s Tequila Lime Chicken

It’s one of Applebee’s top-selling signature dishes

and a big request here on the site. This tasty dish

combines the tangy flavor of the tequila lime marinade

with creamy southwestern-style dressing, and tops it all

off with a melted cheese blend. Just be sure you don’t

marinate the chicken longer than the 3 to 4 hours, or the

citric acid in the lime juice may toughen the chicken.

The bed of crispy corn tortilla strips can be easily

cloned with crumbled store-bought corn chips, but if

you want strips like those served at the restaurant,

just follow the “tidbits” below. Serve this dish with

your choice of rice (Spanish rice is recommended),

along with some pico de gallo (you can find a recipe here)

or salsa on the side.

Marinade

1 cup water

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke flavoring

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon tequila

4 chicken breast fillets

Mexi-Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons minced tomato

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno slices (nacho slices)

1 teaspoon minced onion

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

dash garlic powder

dash ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend

2 cups crumbled corn chips or fried tortilla strips (see tidbits)

1. Prepare marinade by combining marinade ingredients

in a medium bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl, cover and

chill for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Make the mexi-ranch dressing by combining all of the

ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well until smooth, then

cover dressing and chill it until needed.

3. When you are ready to prepare the entree, preheat the

oven to high broil. Also, preheat your barbecue or indoor

grill to high heat. When the grill is hot cook the marinated

chicken breasts for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until

they’re done.

4. Arrange the cooked chicken in a baking pan. Spread a

layer of mexi-ranch dressing over each piece of chicken

(you’ll have plenty left over), followed by 1/4 cup of

the shredded cheese blend. Broil the chicken for 2 to 3

minutes, or just until the cheese has melted.

5. Spread a bed of 1/2 cup of the tortilla strips or crumbled

corn chips on each of four plates. Slide a chicken breast onto

the chips on each plate and serve with your choice of rice,

and pico de gallo, or salsa. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)

Serves 4.

Tidbits

Crumbling store-bought tortilla chips is the easy way to

make the bed of crunchy chips that the tequila lime chicken

rests on. But, you can make tortilla strips like those served

at the restaurant by cutting a stack of eight 6-inch corn

tortillas in half. Stack the halves on top of each other and

slice the tortillas into thin strips. Fry the tortilla strips

in 2 cups of oil preheated in a large skillet for 3-5 minutes

or until crispy. Salt lightly and cool on paper towels to drain.

Applebee’s Pico de Gallo

Notes: This is a great summer relish to serve with chips,

or even on a hamburger.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large tomatoes diced, 1 large onion diced

2 Tbsp. diced Jalapenos, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (diced)

2 tsp. Salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. white vinegar

*********

Preparation Instructions: Mix all ingredients together in

large container until well blended. Allow to sit for at least

6 hours, it is better if allowed to sit overnight.

Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad

Applebee’s 60-item menu is revised twice a year.

That means about 40 percent of the entire menu

changes on a regular basis. The other 60 percent

are items that are found on menus in all of the

Applebee’s restaurants, and seldom ever change.

One item that has been on the menu for some time

now is this Oriental Chicken salad, which is

considered one of the restaurant’s signature

items. The recipe makes one dinner-size salad

and can be easily doubled or quadrupled for

additional servings. This recipe comes from

the third book, “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes,”

but the dressing has been improved to more closely

match the current dressing served at the restaurant.

Oriental Dressing

3 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoons rice winevinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Salad

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half

2-4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup red cabbage

1 cup Napa cabbage

1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded

1 green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds

1/3 cup chow mein noodles

1. Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat.

You want the temperature of the oil to be around 350 degrees.

2. Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small

bowl with an electric mixer. Put dressing in refrigerator

to chill while you prepare the salad.

3. In a small, shallow bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well.

4. In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt

and pepper.

5. Cut chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each strip

of chicken first into egg mixture then into the flour mixture,

coating each piece completely.

6. Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until coating has

darkened to brown.

7. Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped

red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots.

8. Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of the lettuce.

9. Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.

10. Cut the chicken into small bite-size chunks. Place the

chicken onto the salad forming a pile in the middle. Serve

with salad dressing on the side.

Makes 1 dinner-size salad.

Applebee’s Low-Fat Blackened Chicken Salad

Applebee’s original Blackened Chicken Salad quickly became

a favorite, encouraging this popular full-service chain to

create a low-fat version of the delish dish. While most of

the fat in the original comes from the tasty honey mustard

dressing, this version creates a dressing that tastes just

as good, yet has not a single gram of fat. Combine that with

fresh lettuce, shredded carrot, a little egg white, non-fat

shredded cheese, and a delicious Cajun spice blend which

generously coats chicken seared in light butter then grilled,

and you have a majorly munchable salad which is incredibly

easy on the waistline. Who says you need gobs of fat to create

a tasty meal?

Dressing

1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise

1/4 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon paprika

Chicken Marinade

1 cup water

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire

Cajun Spice Blend

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons light butter

Salad

8 cups chopped iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup fat free shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese

1 large tomato, diced

1 hardboiled egg white, diced

1. Make dressing by combining ingredients in a small bowl.

Mix well by hand. Store in a covered container in the

refrigerator until salad is ready.

2. Combine water, lime juice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire

in a medium bowl, and stir. Add the chicken breasts to the

marinade, cover bowl and keep in refrigerator for several hours.

Overnight is even better.

3. When chicken is marinated, preheat a frying pan or skillet

(an iron skillet, if you?ve got it) over medium/high heat. Also,

preheat your barbecue grill to medium/high heat.

4. Combine the spices for the Cajun spice blend in a small bowl.

Sprinkle a teaspoon of the spice blend over one side of each of

the chicken breasts. Cover the entire surface of the chicken

with spice.

5. Melt the butter in the hot pan, then sear the chicken breasts

for 2-3 minutes on the side with the spices. While first side

cooks, sprinkle another teaspoon of spice over the top of each

chicken breast, coating that side as you did the other. Flip the

chicken over, and sear for another 2-3 minutes. The surface of

the chicken will be coated with a charred, black layer of flavor.

This is exactly what you are shooting for.

6. Finish the chicken off on your barbecue grill. Grill each breast

on both sides for 2-3 minutes, or until they are done.

7. While chicken is cooking prepare the salads by splitting the

lettuce into two large bowls. Toss in the red cabbage and carrots.

Mix the cheeses together, then top the salad with the cheeses

and hardboiled egg. Sprinkle the diced tomato on each salad.

8. Slice the chicken breast, across each breast in 1/2-inch-thick

slices. Spread the chicken over the top of the salad and serve

immediately with dressing on the side. Serves 2 as an entree.

Applebee’s Low-Fat Asian Chicken Salad

As the seasons change so does the menu, at this

popular 1064-unit casual restaurant chain. You?ll

find this item in the ?Low-Fat and Fabulous? column

during the summer months where it?s been a favorite

since 1997. As with any salad, the waistline violator

is the traditionally fat-filled dressing that?s

drizzled in gobs over the top of very healthy greens

(a tablespoon of dressing is usually around 10-12

grams of fat each). So if we can just figure out a

cool way to make the dressing fat-free, we?re well

on our way to making huge salad ? four of them to be

exact ? with only 12 grams of fat on the entire plate.

Most of those grams come from the chicken breast, while

the crunchy chow mein noodles pick up the rest. Just be

sure to plan ahead when you make this one. The chicken

should marinate for a few hours if you want it to taste

like the original. Get ready for some big, meal-size salads.

1 cup teriyaki marinade

4 chicken breast fillets

Fat-Free Asian Dressing

2 cups water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons dry pectin

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

8 cups chopped iceberg lettuce

3 cups shredded red cabbage

3 cups shredded green cabbage

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup chopped green onion

1 1/3 cups crispy chow mein noodles

1. Combine teriyaki marinade and chicken breasts in a medium

bowl or resealable plastic bag. Marinate chicken for 3-4 hours.

2. Prepare the dressing by combining all of the ingredients

in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a

rolling boil while stirring often with a whisk, then remove

the pan from the heat to cool. When dressing has cooled, pour

it into a covered container and chill.

3. When chicken breasts have marinated, preheat barbecue grill

to high heat. Grill chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, or until

done.

4. Combine the romaine and iceberg lettuce, red and green cabbage

and 1 cup of shredded carrots in a large bowl with the dressing.

Toss well.

5. Divide the tossed greens among four plates. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of

green onions over each salad, followed by 1/3 cup of crispy chow

mein noodles.

6. When the chicken breasts are done, slice each one, widthwise,

into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle the sliced chicken breasts over

each salad.

7. Place a 1/4 cup pile of shredded carrots in the center of

each salad.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size ? 1 salad

Total servings ? 4

Fat (per serving) ? 12g

Calories (per serving) ? 575

Applebee’s Bananaberry Freeze

Ah, if only kitchen cloning was an exact science.

While working on this one I saw the same bartender

make the drink two different ways on two different

days. Only after a firm grilling did I get her

admitting to her personal “improvement” to the chain’s

secret recipe. The official clone includes the

ingredients found below. But if you want to add a little

pineapple juice — as some independent thinking

bartenders are apt to do — you might discover you

have indeed created a tastier version of this refreshing

smoothie. On that day the cloning gods shall be looking

the other way.

But, for heaven’s sake, be sure your banana is soft

and ripe. This is a detail the gods won’t ignore.

1 10-ounce box frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed

1/3 cup pina colada mix

2 cups ice

2 ripe bananas

Garnish

whipped cream

2 fresh strawberries

1. Use a blender to puree the entire contents of the thawed

box of frozen strawberries.

2. Add 1/3 cup pina colada mix and 2 cups of ice to the blender.

3. Cut the end off end banana — set these pieces aside to use

later as a garnish — then put the bananas into the blender.

4. Blend on high speed until the ice is crushed and the drink

is smooth. Pour into two tall stemmed glasses, such as daiquiri

glasses.

5. Slice each strawberry halfway up through the middle and add

one to the rim of each glass.

6. Cut each banana slice halfway through the middle and add one

to the rim of each glass next to the strawberry. Top with

whipped cream and serve with a straw.

Makes 2 servings.

Applebee’s Baked French Onion Soup

Don’t even try to find this one on the menu at Applebee’s,

because it isn’t there; though it’s the most popular soup

served each day at this huge restaurant chain. This is the

first of several big-time soup clones we’ll unveil here in

the next few weeks to help get you through the cold winter

months. And they’re all a cinch to make. Just be sure you

have some oven-safe soup bowls for this one, since we’ll

have to broil it a bit before serving. Under the gooey

melted provolone of the original version you get from A

pplebee’s is a unique round crouton that’s made from bread

similar to a hamburger bun. So that’s exactly what we’ll use

in our clone.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 medium white onions, sliced

8 cups beef broth (Swanson is best)

1 cup water

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 plain hamburger buns

10 slices provolone cheese

10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

1. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan

over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and saut?

for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start

to become translucent. You don’t want them to brown.

2. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and

black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil.

When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for

45 minutes.

3. To make the croutons cut off the top half of each top

of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness

as the bottom half of each bun. Throw the tops away. Now you

should have 10 round pieces of bread — 5 bottom buns, and 5

top buns with the tops cut off. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place the bread in the the oven directly on the rack and bake

for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown

and crispy. Set these croutons aside until you need them.

4. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe

bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice

of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon

of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone.

5. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the

soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and

starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are

making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional

1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the

soup and serve. Repeat process to prepare remaining servings.

Makes 10 servings.

Recipe By : Mary Ann Housman (WW leader)

Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Copycat

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method

——– ———— ——————————–

12 ounces Low fat ice cream — softened

1 cup Low fat Cool Whip

1/4 cup Crunchy peanut butter

1 package Sugar free Chocolate pudding

3 ounces Grape Nut cereal

Mix together ice cream, Cool Whip, peanut butter and pudding.

Fold in Grape Nuts.

Spread in 8×8 inch pan and freeze.

Recipe By : Gloria Pitzer

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Copycat Condiments

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method

——– ———— ——————————–

1/2 C Dark Molasses

2 Green onions — chop

3 Tbsp Coarse salt (kosher)

3 Tbsp Dry mustard

1 Tsp Paprika

1/4 Tsp Cayene

1 Clove garlic — crush or

1 Tsp Garlic powder

1 Anchovy fillet; chop — or

1 tbsp Anchovey paste

6 tbsp Fresh taramind — or

1 tbsp Taramind extract

1 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Fenugreek

1/2 tsp Powdered ginger

1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon

1 tsp Powdered cloves

1/2 tsp Caradamen seeds

3 drops Tabasco

6 oz Rhine wine

2 oz Rose wine

1 pt White vinegar

1 tbsp Kitchen Bouquet

1 tbsp Postum Powder

Put all spices (except last 6 ingr.) through blender till fine powder.

Place over low heat with half vinegar and simmer 1 hr; adding rest of

vinegar alittle at a time as mixture is reduced in bulk. Stir in

tabasco, wines, kitchen bouquet. Cook 3 min to dissolve. Remove from

heat. Pour into crock or tuperware container (2qt) Let stand covered for

1 week. Then strain thru cheese- cloth, six times.

bottle and cap tightly. Keep refrigerated indefinely.

Freeze to keep for years.